National player Jonathan Tah was annoyed by the media side effects around his transfer -free change from Bayer Leverkusen to Bayern.
“It’s strange, in the past three months there has been nothing but rumors. You are sorry to see your own name on social media. Everything is a bit ridiculous,” wrote the 29-year-old in a post for “Players’ Tribune”. “I don’t think people understand how bizarre it is when you are about to change. It’s not like FIFA on the Playstation, do you know?”
After leaving his contract at Bayer Leverkusen, he wanted to go “where I can be the best version of Jona,” emphasized Jonathan Tah. “And this place is Bavaria for me.”
Tah added that he had other offers “who were honestly very good”. A change abroad and getting to know a new culture would have irritated him, according to the Hamburg -born, who had been traded at FC Barcelona, among others. “But for me it always depends on personal development, people and culture, and I will join one of the best clubs in the world, with a very special trainer,” said Tah.
He already “very admired” Vincent Kompany during his player times at the HSV, emphasized the central defender. Since the Belgian also has African roots, there is a “special connection”. Tah stated: “As soon as you talk to him, you can feel your passion, ideas and his values.”
Photo: © Imago/Eibner-Press Foto/Florian Wiegand
Tah change to FC Bayern was already perfect in 2024 “90 percent”
With FC Bayern, Tah agreed on a change in the summer of 2024. In the end, however, this failed because the clubs could not agree on a transfer fee.
This hanging game was difficult for Tah. “I had promised Bayern Munich and everything was 90 percent done. My suitcases were packed – literally. But it turned out that 90 percent in the football business meant nothing,” he said.
Bayer’s ex-coach Xabi Alonso asked him for a conversation and expressed his backing regardless of the change topic.
“He could have excluded me. He could have had me trained with the reserve. He could have treated me like a stranger. But no, he is Xabi. He treated me like a family,” said Tah.